Police: Senior accidentally drove into lake during heavy rain

The layout of the dock area near the rowing center at Mercer County Park.

The 85-year-old Ewing man who was found dead in his vehicle in Mercer County Lake on Monday morning accidentally drove into the lake when it was raining the night before, police said.

Calvin Madison was driving in heavy rain after 9 p.m. on Sunday and appears to have been lost, police said. He drove his Ford Edge through the South Post Road parking lot on the Caspersen Rowing Center side of Mercer County Park and was attempting to locate an exit, police said. He drove into the area of the Caspersen Rowing Center docks, and inadvertently entered into the Mercer County Lake along the bulkhead of the dock area, police said. The impact caused the side airbags to be deployed inside the Ford . Despite Madison’s efforts, he was unable to exit the vehicle.

The vehicle was partially submerged in the lake and was discovered on Monday morning near the Caspersen Rowing Center docks. Madison was located inside, and emergency responders entered the frigid water to rescue him and see if any other victims were inside the vehicle. Madison was pronounced dead at the scene.